Cameroon says its army kills 92 militants in operation with Nigeria

YAOUNDE, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Cameroon's army killed 92
members of Islamist militant group Boko Haram and freed 850
villagers in a joint operation with Nigerian forces, the
government of Cameroon said on Friday.

The operation in the Nigerian village of Kumshe, close to
the border with Cameroon, was conducted under the auspices of a
multinational force fighting Boko Haram, the statement from
Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said.

"Two Cameroonian soldiers were killed (during the operation)
by an accidental mine explosion. Five other soldiers were
wounded," Bakary said, adding that the army captured weapons and
ammunition and found a centre for production of homemade mines.

There was no immediate comment from Nigeria or independent
confirmation of the operation or toll.

Boko Haram seeks to carve out an emirate in northeastern
Nigeria and has staged a campaign of suicide and other attacks
in Cameroon, Chad and Niger over the past year, including
killing as many as 1,000 in Cameroon.

The U.S. military calls Boko Harm the most violent extremist
group in the world. The group gained global notoriety for
kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014 and is
thought to have killed over 15,000 people over six years.
(Reporting by Anne Mireille Nzouankeu; Writing by Matthew Mpoke
Bigg; Editing by Dominic Evanns)